No.183
April 10,1999
Chinas Huge Investment in 揔nowledge Innovation Project
A report published recently by Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology said t hat Chinese Government is planning to invest Rmb 4.8 billion in the nations 揔nowledge Innovation Project?during the period from 1998 to the end of 2000 .As illustrated by 1998 揅hina Science and Technology Indicators?(volume 4 o f the science and technology yellow paper), the said huge project facing the 21s t century will provide strong technical support and strategic science and techno logy reserves for China to realize its sustainable development.
The yellow paper also said China will establish a group of internationally renow ned knowledge innovation bases so as to achieve continuously the significant sci entific research results, nurture a large contingent of high quality S&T personn el with strong innovation capability and lay a sound foundation for improving Ch inas innovation capacity by a big margin.
China hopes through the implementation of the national 揔nowledge Innovation Pr oject?to upgrade Chinas S&T competitiveness to the world top ten before 2010 .
A senior official of Ministry of Science and Technology expressed that the enhan cement of nations effective input into science and technology, acceleration of the construction of national knowledge innovation system and vigorous developmen t of high and new technologies and its associated industries are a part of China s major efforts to meet the challenge of knowledge based economy.
Nurturing high quality talents.
IN THIS ISSUE
Chinas Huge Investment in 揔nowledge Innovation Project?/P>
1
Accelerate Technology Import to Improve Export Capability
2
Chinas First Transgenic Ox
2
Ten New Drugs from Academicians Company
3
Smallest Early Bird Fossil Discovered in Liaoxi
3
UN Project of Clean Production Demo City in China
4
Statistics published recently have shown that since the implementation of th e strategy of 搑evitalizing the country with science, technology and education ? Chinese Government has greatly increased its financial appropriations for S& T sector, reaching Rmb 40.8 billion in 1997, 15.9% up than the last year. The growth rate of the financial appropriations in 1997 is much higher than that i n early 1990s.
It is reported from the sources of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) that being the core and a major component of national innovation system, CAS has already k icked off its knowledge innovation experiment in the country. This supreme aca demic body in the country is planning to establish 100 internationally advanced national research institutions, 20 crossdisciplinary and interregional nationa l comprehensive research centers before the year of 2005.
Mr. Chen Yiyu, Vice President of CAS announced that CASs near term knowledge innovation priorities are strategic basic research, S&T innovation studies relat ed to sustainable development, studies in civil high tech innovation and in the frontiers of natural sciences.
He added that the research on sustainable development will include the sustainab le development of Yangtze River and Yellow River valley, ecological and Institut ional agriculture and biological resources and diversities. The high tech innov ation studies will be focused on information and telecommunication, genetic engi neering, protein engineering, nanometre material and new generation functional m aterials and new energy.
Accelerate Technology Import to Improve Export Capability
China will improve its products competitiveness and risk resist ance capability in the international market through technology importation and optimization of i ndustrial structures.
Mr. Zhang Xiang, Vice Minister of China Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperatio n said that the Central Government has pointed out explicitly that the importati on of technologies and equipments necessary for upgrading industrial structures will be increased appropriately through international bidding. In this context, a relevant policy named 揜egulations on Technology Import and Export?will be published.
Mr. Zhang said in the future the mainbody of the technology import will be grad ually transferred from the central government to enterprises themselves and the alliance of research and manufacturing unit. The mode of importation will also shift from assembly lines and series equipment to software technology and neces sary key equipment, and importation targets from products to industrial basic, l eading and high and new technologies.
Mr. Zhang added that the purpose of Chinas strengthening its technology impor t will no longer be for production or substitution but rather for digestion, inn ovation and taking part in the international cooperation.
Mr. Zhang also believed that technology importation may accelerate industrial u pgrading, improve S&T level and renew products so as to realize the target of re structuring export products at high level.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Chinas First Transgenic Ox
Two Chinese scientists disclosed on March 24, 1999 that Shanghai Institute of Me dical Genetics have successfully developed Chinas first transgenic testtube ox with their own created new technical routes for transgenic goat.
The testtube male calf named 揟ao Tao?was born on Feb. 19, 1999 with a wei ght of 38 kilos. With an active and healthy look, it is of a shining skin with spotted black and white color. As shown by the testing, it carries human album in genes introduced in by researchers.
Zeng Yitao, academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Prof. Huang Shuzhen who cochaired the research revealed that in the meanwhile of cultivating trans genic ox, they have also successfully created new technologies that greatly impr ove genetic expressions which make the content of human medical protein in the m ilk of transgenic mice increase by 31 times. The result hallmarked Chinas ad vanced position in the world in the research of transgenic animals and genetic p roducts.
If the new techniques be applied to the reproduction of transgenic ox and goat, doubled or multiplied genetic medicine expressions in ox or goats milks can be expected, which will lower the production costs and investment risks by a large margin and bring the new dawn on the construction of ?animal pharmaceutical p lants?
Shanghai Institute of Medical Genetics had developed new technical routes of tra nsgenic goat for the first time in the world in February 1998, and then it in collaboration with Institute of Genetics of Fudan University, acquired Chinas first transgenic goat whose milk contains human haemoglutinin. Then the said t wo scientists first applied the new technical routes to the research on transgen ic ox.
Ten New Drugs from Academicians Company
Shanghai Huaxin Biohightech Co., the first biohightech business established by academicians of Chinese Academy of Sciences in the country appla uded the ten new drugs developed in its own factory in the last 6 years, which d emonstrated the advantage of S&T businesses created by scientists themselves. α2b interferon developed recently by Huaxin has been approved to enter the ma rket which provide another new drug for the cancer patients.
The anti virus and anticancer effect of α2b interferon is much stronger t han γ interferon with a world wide sales volume reaching USD 10 billion and an expected growing trend in the coming years. Before this, interleukin2, Huaxi ns first approved biotech product was granted with Excellence Award of Shangha i Municipal Torch Program in 1998 after entitled as a national new product in 19 96. In addition to the above mentioned two new drugs, several new drugs of Huax in have been approved to conduct clinic trials, such as α2b interferon for in jection featured with greatly reduced costs and sell price, α2b interferon ca psule for cervicitis, granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor for in creasing cancer patents white cell level after chemotherapy, and EPO for th e patients of renal failure, kidney dialysis, pernicious anemia and anemia cause d by chemotherapy; calcitonin for promoting the activity of osteoplast and red ucing the activity of osteoclast so as to treat senile osteopetrosis through red ucing blood calcium and retaining calcium in bones. It is also revealed that t he pilot experiments of a number of other new products are going on.
NEWS BRIEFS
Chinas Yellow Book on Science and Technology Issued
Recently Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology published its 98 揅hina Science and Technology Indicators ? the volume 4 of yellow book on science and technology , in Beijing.
It is reported that the new yellow book is a governmental publication presenting a general picture on Chinas S&T development and trend. Since it was formally published in 1992, 揅hina Science and Technology Indicators?is published eve ry two years. It reflects on the basis of abundant quantitative data Chinas S&T strength, potentials and its position in the world and S&T contribution to a nd impacts on social and economic development.
With the help of statistic data, the book analyzed and elaborated major changes and basic development trend of Chinas S&T development and reform since the 199 0s. Its major contents include blueprint of Chinas S&T development, S&T huma n r esources and budget, S&T activities of large and medium enterprises, R&D institu tions subordinated to governmental agencies and higher learning institutions, S& T outputs such as research papers, patents and technology trades, S&T impacts on economic and social development and Chinese peoples scientific quality and th e ir attitude toward science and technology. The book also reflects the state of basic research, industrialization of high technology and international comparis on of major S&T indicators.
Smallest Early Bird Fossil Discovered in Liaoxi
A bird with large eyes and long tail in a beautiful taking off gesture is seen i n a well preserved tiny bird skeleton fossil identified in Liaoxi not long ago b y Chinese scientists.
Experts said the discovery further elaborates on the complicate nature of origin and evolution of early birds and provides extremely valuable data on the studie s in the field. The February issue of Science Bulletin, a domestically renowned academic journal reported on its cover page the discovery by Hou Lianhai, a res earch fellow of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleozoology, Chinese Academy of Sci ences and Chen Peiji, a research fellow of Nanjing Institute of Geographic Paleo biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Chinas Research System on Soft Sciences
Chinas soft sciences have seen a steady development along with the major historical tides of opening and reform and its research theoretical me thodology and practice system with Chinas distinguishing feature has been prel iminarily established.
In the last decade and more, the development of Chinas soft sciences has, to m eet the practical needs of deepgoing opening and reform of the country, develope d a basic structure of establishing S&T consultation firms, conducting applied s oft science research and strengthening basic soft science studies. The three tie red efforts have formed a basic operational and management system for the soft s cience studies in the country. At present, there are more than 1200
soft science research institutions in the country with
40,000 researchers cored with soft sc ientists possessing both natural and social scientific knowledge. The
research contingent has a rational structure in both displines and age. China s soft sciences community has been engaged in 6000 and more research projects including formulating technical policies for 14 sectors, studies on population q uantitative system and its applications, China in the year 2000, Chinas long a nd medium range S&T plan and strategic prediction and assessment of high tech de velopment.
First R&D Center For Overseas Graduates Established in Yantai
On March 20, Yantai R&D Center For Overseas Graduates was established by Managem ent Committee of Yantai Development Zone under the proposal of Dr. Zhou Hongjun who got his doctorate in UK and other 30 and more overseas students who are eit her returned or abroad. Studied in either US, UK, Switzerland, France, Japan or in other countries or regions, the members of the center have master or above m aster degree level and an average age of 38. Of them, 16 are of doctorate titl es, 7 qualified tutors for doctorate students and 15 are now working abroad.
Returned to China a few years ago after receiving his doctorate in UK, Dr. Zhou Hongjun sat up Yantai Honghai Surface Processing Co. Ltd. in Yantai Overseas G raduates Pioneering Garden. Thanks to the application of internationally advanc ed technologies, his products gained market recognition and reaped fine economic benefits. To attract more people who study or work abroad to develop their bus iness in the garden and introduce more advanced technologies into the country,
Dr. Zhou decided to establish a research and development center dominated by ove rsea graduates.
The center will focus on the development of new industries such as new materials , bioengineering, electronic communication and fine chemicals. They will build the center through a few year efforts into a channel through which new technolo gies could be introduced into the country from US and European countries, a cent er focuing the development of advanced materials in the country and a national b ase of introduction, diffusion and application of high and new technologies.
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
UN Project of Clean Production Demo City in China
Recently the 揚roject of Clean Production Demonstration City?sponsored by the United Nations, the first of its kind in China, was formally kicked off in Taiy uan Municipality, Shanxi Province.
As shown by the project plan, 50% of major enterprises in Taiyuan will be basica lly restructured with clean production system by 2001 and Taiyuan will become a model city of clean production in the country by 2010.
So far China has practiced clean production auditing in 200 and more enterprises covering 10 sectors in 24 provinces and cities. Thanks to the application of clean production technology, these enterprises have not only gained environmenta l benefits with a decrease of waste water discharge by 40% and a reduction of wa ste gases emission 800 million cubic meters, but also gained the economic benefi ts of Rmb 500 million.
Taiyuan is a city proud of its 2500andmoreyear history. Unfortunately, i t is also one of most polluted areas in the country as the result of being a maj or base of energy, heavy and chemical industry. The development of the city has long suffered from both economic and environmental pressure.
After being selected as Chinas first experimental city for clean production by UNEP, China International Commission on Environment and Development and Nationa l Economic and Trade Commission, Taiyuan has established corresponding organizat ions to formulate an implementation plan for clean production. 10 major enterpri ses in the city including Taiyuan Heavy Duty Machinery Group have been selected to make experiments, and some focal technology development projects, such as integrated utilization of coal and environment friendly industrial boilers will be supported..
It is reported that the project has been granted with the support of a number of international organizations including World Bank.
Comments or inquiries on editorial matters or Newsletter contenshould be
directed to: Mr. Dong Jianlong, Department of Internationa l Cooperation, MOST 15B, Fuxing Road Beijing 100862, PR China Tel: (8610)
68512650 Fax: (8610) 68512594, or Mr. Wang Jianping, Editor,
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